Isolation and Identification of Campylobacter spp. from Raw Chicken Carcasses in Food Service
Campylobacter spp. isolated and identified from the raw chicken carcasses in food service, were characterized. Total bacterial counts on the skins of raw chicken were 10 ⁴-10^6 CFU/g and a total of 205 strains were primarily isolated after enrichment culture and selective culture of the sample with candle and microaerophilic chamber method. Among them, twenty eight strains of Gram-negative, catalase-positive and oxidase-positive were further isolated by the determination of biochemical characteristics. Only sixteen strains of them were finally identified as Campylobacter with PCR of pA and pB primers. Nine strains, more than half of them, have grown at 42℃ and 25℃ and seven strains defined as thermophilic Campylobacter grew not at 25℃, but at 42℃. Therefore, more careful management of food safety for raw chicken is needed in food service. Particularly, we should concern the raw chicken carcasses with high bacteria contamination, more them 10^5CFU/g, which possibly includes Campylobacter spp. grown at low temperature.